A nation looking for a home

Simon Day talks to Kiribati president Anote Tong about his country’s relocation.

RISING SEA levels, magnified by man- made climate change, are engulfing the villages, poisoning the water supply and destroying the crops of Kiribati –a nation of more than 30 coral atolls, most only a few metres above sea level, in the north Pacific.

Now the next generation of Kiribati needs a new home and the president of the low-lying Pacific nation is looking to relocate a large number of the country’s 103,000 people. And New Zealand is on the list of destinations.

‘‘ The process of relocation is something that must begin today. The preparation of our people to be able to migrate with dignity and with some confidence, to prepare themselves, must begin now,’’ said President Anote Tong.

A study released last week suggests climate change-induced sea level rise has been greatly underestimated and could increase by more than a metre by 2100.

The science has convinced President Tong to begin the drastic action to ensure a future for the people of Kiribati.

‘‘They are not very attractive, I can assure you. But we have to consider these options, we cannot ignore it. Quite often we think because something is not happening immediately, we should not

President Anote Tong plan for it. I think that is not being very smart.’’

The Kiribati government has earmarked 2000 hectares of land in Fiji as potential farm land and possibly a new home, but they are also looking deeper in the Pacific.

New Zealand already accepts 75 Kiribati residents each year under the Pacific Access Category. The scheme allows people of Tonga, Tuvalu and Kiribati to enter a ballot to receive New Zealand residency.

First established in 2002, the Kiribati quota initially went unfilled. Now, with a growing awareness of the effects of climate change on the country, young people are queueing for the opportunity to move to New Zealand.

‘‘We have always regarded New Zealand as very much a part of the Pacific. I think our people would prefer to go to New Zealand rather than anywhere else,’’ Tong said. ‘‘Auckland, of course, is the biggest Pacific city in the world.’’

Christchurch is also being looked at as skilled migrants are sought to contribute to the rebuild of the city.

‘‘ We need to have them prepared and trained so they have the skills so they can contribute to the reconstruction Tong said.

‘‘There are mutual gains to be made so that New Zealand is benefiting and we are solving our problem.’’

Tong would like to see New Zealand increase the 75-person quota for Kiribati in response to the size of the problem.

‘‘ Our quota is the same as Tuvalu and Tuvalu has about 10,000 people and we have over 100,000 people,’’ he said.

The president does not want the people of Kiribati to become refugees in their new countries and the government is educating and training its people to migrate with the skills needed to contribute in their new homes.

‘‘We have time to prepare our people so they move as migrants, and hopefully not as refugees. We have already lost our home, the last thing we should lose is our dignity,’’ he said.

In collaboration with relocation partners, Kiribati is filling skill shortages in potential host nations. Short on nurses, Australia is training Kiribati nurses to work in Australia.

‘‘The strategy we have adopted is to deliberately target those areas where we can contribute at the same time as addressing our issues,’’ Tong said.

Tired of growing frustrated with the international community’s inability to reach agreement over a response to the issues of climate change, Tong has taken control of the future of his people.

‘‘If we go a few years back, there was a time where I had a deep sense of futility and there was nothing I could do. But you must face the reality and deal with the reality of this.

‘‘We cannot afford to give up, not on this one, not when the survival of our people are at stake.’’

of

Christchurch,’’